Chapter 10: Product Concepts

          To be successful and survived for over 50 years, Sanrio has a diversified products system. Owning famous brands in gift industry, such as:  Pochacco, Badtz-Maru, Keroppi and special 6 billions phenomenon Hello Kitty, Sanrio markets their products to women as as girls by extending its product line to include household appliances and accessories to the narrow product line. The product line consists of stationary, greeting cards, school supplies, dolls, accessories, candy, utensils, and health and beauty aids.  The health and beauty aids are contact lens and eyeglass cases, vanity organizers, toothbrushes, and so forth.  Adding the functional merchandise like coffee makers, microwaves, toasters, and vacuum cleaners attract older women who may have owned Hello Kitty merchandise in their youths. Sanrio's designers are working very hard every year to add more than 6000 new items, making width and depth of their product lines.

          Sanrio also uses co-branding as a strategy to extend their market. For example, Sanrio collaborate with Sega who owns Sonic to create new adorable character by combine Sonic and Hello Kitty. Sanrio and A Bathing Ape have struck up a licensing deal to create range of novelty items and accessories devoted  to Bape's signature Baby Milo character, hoping capturing more boy customer since their original products are pretty girly. The list of co-branding companies with Sanrio includes: Sanyo - most of Sanrio's electronic products, Eva Airline - Hello Kitty air bus, AGIP(Azienda Generale Italian Petroli) - Hello Kitty oil can....

Sonic X Hello Kitty doll